Friday, October 9, 2015

GREAT FRIGATEBIRD

photographed at Lockhart River jetty, Queensland October 2015
691            GREAT FRIGATEBIRD           Fregata minor

Australia         (533)

Also known as Man-o'-war Bird or Hawk. Found in tropical or sub-tropical seas, coastlines or islands. Range: breeds on islands in Coral Sea, incl. outer Gt Barrier Reef. Largest local breeding stations are Christmas and Cocos Is. in Indian Ocean. Scarce coastal n. Aust.; regular on islands of Gt Barrier Reef and offshore s. to Fraser Is (Q); casual coastal se Q and ne. NSW. 

Comment:  when first named 1789, it was called the Lesser Pelican, Pelecanus minor, so the Latin minor still stands.





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